Teachers object to Ehardt education committee comments

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI)-Idaho teachers are objecting to comments made by Idaho Falls State Representative Barbara Ehardt during a House Education Committee meeting this week.   

During the budget session, Ehardt complained about spending money on public education while some students were being taught from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.    

“The reason that they’re suffering is because they’re in the classroom with teachers that don’t want to be there teaching,” said Ehardt. “So why do we want to keep giving money to classrooms that may contain teachers that don’t want to be there…and wouldn’t that be a poor use of the money?”

House Education Committee Chairman Lance Clow interrupted to call Ehardt’s statement “pretty offensive to the vast majority that are eager to be there.”

Skyline High School teacher and ISU Adjunct Professor Julie Nawrocki responded , “Rep. Ehardt is not a friend to education, she is not a friend to students, she should NOT be allowed to continue on the Education Committee.”  

“The truth is that Idaho teachers desperately want to be in classrooms with students, but they want to do so in an environment that is safe for students and staff,” said Idaho Education Association President Layne McInelly. “Idaho teachers are extremely dedicated to their students and their profession and Rep. Ehardt insinuating otherwise is disappointing and insulting.  More than anything else, it shows that she is extremely disconnected from the reality of public education and the classroom.”

You can read McInelley’s complete statement here.